Caramelised onion and vintage cheddar bread

It was a chilly, autumnal morning and something warm and comforting was in order.  Flipping through my latest Gourmet Traveller I found the following recipe for a scone-like savoury bread. Although it is called a bread, there is no yeast.  It's very rustic and accessible unlike some of their recipes which even for someone with altispheric tastes like moi, can be a little too intimidating.  No, this one just calls for onions and vintage cheese amongst other homely ingredients.  If you do want to make it a little more sophisticated, swap the vintage cheddar for a mix of fetta and tasty or halloumi.  Or instead of thyme in the caramelised onion concoction, use mint or oregano. Although, my daughter did complain that there just wasn't enough caramelised onion, otherwise she would have given it a 10/10. Wonderful with a light, brothy soup like  avgolemono....Serves 8

450g (3 cups) SR flour
160g (1 cup) wholemeal SR flour
100g cold butter, chopped
120g (1 cup) coarsely grated vintage cheddar
1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs such as chives and thyme
1 egg, lightly beaten
310ml buttermilk

Caramelised onions
2 tbs olive oil
3 medium sized brown onions, thinly sliced
1 tbs fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 tbs sugar
salt and pepper to taste

For caramelised onions, heat oil in a large fry pan and cook onion with bay and thyme leaves over medium heat till soft.  Add sugar and salt and pepper with 2 tbs water and cook stirring occasionally for 20 mins till onions are soft and charred around the edges.  Cool.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.  Line a large oven tray with baking paper.
Whisk flours in a large bowl for a minute till thoroughly aerated.  Rub in butter.  Stir in half the cheese and half the mixed herbs.  Add egg and enough buttermilk to mix to a soft, sticky dough.  Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead gently until smooth.

Roll dough between sheets of baking paper into a 30cm x 40cm rectangle.  Spread caramelised onions over dough, leaving a 2cm border along the far long side.  Sprinkle remaining cheese and herbs over onion. Roll up firmly from long side and transfer to tray turning edges to form a horse-shoe shape. Brush with a little extra buttermilk,

Bake for about 40 mins.  Stand on tray for 20 mins.  Serve.  If you can't be bothered with the soup, just open a beautiful bottle of Beaujolais, or any reputable red, and imbibe with pleasure! It would be just as warm and comforting.....